IceBoss
The IceBoss is the name of an unused boss creature in Metroid Prime. Description Greg Luzniak conceptual art depicts the creature standing several meters taller than Samus Aran and refers to it as the Ice Boss. It was modeled and skinned by Mike Sneath. It was first discovered in an animation video that Derek Bonikowski listed on his website as one of the "Selected animations from the Metroid Prime series of video games". The video was removed from the website for unknown reasons. Its name is derived from the file, "IceBoss_Taunt.MOV". The IceBoss loosely resembles a furless, blue-skinned primate, with its most distinguishing features being its six limbs (two pairs of arms and two legs), its tusks and the crystals which cover most, if not all, the creature's dorsum along with the back of its arms. In the Bonikowski animation, the IceBoss exhibits behavior similar to that of a gorilla by standing upright and beating its chest with its first pair of arms while roaring before reverting back to its standing animation, in which it takes a partially flexed posture that seemingly allows its body weight to be pressed against the ground through the second pair of arms' knuckles. Its facial features, however, share greater similarities with those of a baboon's. The name of the video implies that it performs this action to taunt Samus. Mike Sneath's animation reel features the IceBoss charging at Samus. The IceBoss was intended for the Phendrana Drifts. Its crystal formations and blue skin are shared by the majority of bioforms present in the Phendrana Drifts. According to Mike Sneath, the creature was created during the first year of development on Prime, but was cut because Nintendo felt it was more suited for an RPG game than Metroid. Sneath also denied rumors that the IceBoss was related to the Sheegoth."Hey popofish69. At 1:09 that is a creature that was made during the first year of development on Metroid Prime. Many of the characters created in the first year were either cut or modified. The reason for this is that Nintendo felt that some of early characters looked more like monsters for an RPG game and not for the Metroid world. So no this is not another Sheegoth but it was creature that was originally designed for the Iceworld. Cheers!" - Mike Sneath https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGUv8PyPnPM The IceBoss is one of few creatures in the Metroid series to be or resemble a mammal. Similarities to other video game enemies The Ice Titans found on Excelcion in Metroid Prime: Federation Force share a large resemblance to IceBoss. It also resembles Bullymongs from Borderlands 2, both being large blue primates associated with ice, with 6 limbs and tusks. Trivia * The act of removing this intended boss of the Phendrana Drifts possibly influenced the decision of moving Thardus from its original location, the Magmoor Caverns, into the snow area to fill in the ape-like creature's spot. Consequently, the Magmoor Caverns remained the only main area of the game without a boss. Gallery Greg Luzniak IceBoss concept art.png|Greg Luzniak concept art IceBoss gif.gif|Mike Sneath model and animation References ru:Ледяной Босс Category:Species Category:Bosses Category:Unused Bosses and Species Category:Tallon IV Category:Phendrana Drifts Category:Giants Category:Derek Bonikowski Category:Greg Luzniak Category:Mike Sneath Category:Mammalian Category:Arctic Creatures